Hello everyone! I wanted to share my experience with this cat and kitten food mix after a long break from blogging.
Here's where the story starts, from my review on Bengal cats. My cat got pregnant and gave birth to two purebred Bengal kittens. Unfortunately, only one survived. I'm not blaming this food mix specifically, it was just a combination of circumstances and my own mistakes.
I've come to the realization that my cat isn't exactly cut out for motherhood. But, with some TLC and a bit of emergency care, we managed to save the second kitten who was having some issues due to mastitis caused by pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding - and, in the process, we had to save both the mom cat and the kitten. I actually ended up nursing my cat back to health at home, while the kitten was in the ICU.
I'll cut straight to the chase - it was a long story, but I'll give you the short version. Our kitten was starving because her milk ducts weren't functioning properly, and I didn't notice it until a day or so in, but her sugar levels were fine when we took her to the clinic. We switched her to IV fluids, and the vet prescribed a special diet. After a few feedings, the kitten developed an intolerance and diarrhea - it was like she was pooping out the same stuff I was feeding her through a dropper, and it just got worse and worse. The hospital stay in our city cost us 30,000 rubles a day. A friend recommended we take her to a nearby city, where the daily hospital stay was 7,000 rubles, so we spent 4 days there and it was enough to get her back on her feet, from a critical to a stable but cautious state. She was 3 weeks old at the time, and we transitioned her to a starter pâté after the hospital stay. We fed her that for a month, and now she's on Grandorf for kittens, which is the same food our cat ate during pregnancy and her kittenhood. We ended up keeping the kitten, a girl we named Monna, and our older daughter chose her as her own pet, but in the end, the cat chose our younger daughter as her new owner.
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DESIGN:
The powder comes in a plastic, non-transparent bottle. It's got a polyethylene label with a quick rundown of the product's key features and info.
DESCRIPTION:
Beaphar Lactol Kitty Milk is a specialized kitten milk replacer for kittens from birth to 35 days, providing them with the necessary nutrients, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The formula is based on easily digestible dairy products, helps with artificial feeding, and is also suitable for pregnant and sick cats.
WHAT'S IN IT:
I was impressed by the balanced composition of this product, which closely resembles mother's milk. It's a great option for orphaned kittens, as well as for lactating and senior cats. The product comes in various packaging sizes, such as 250g and 500g.
PREPARATION:
To prepare, simply add 7 measuring scoops (about 4.5g each) of the powder to every 100ml of hot (not boiling) water, mix until dissolved, and let it cool down to 38°C.
ADVANTAGES:
This product offers a well-balanced composition, closely mimicking the nutritional profile of mother's milk.
It's suitable for orphaned kittens, as well as for lactating and senior cats.
Available in various packaging sizes, including 250g and 500g.
At the bottom of the container, you'll find information about the expiration date and batch number.
The lid comes with a measuring spoon and instructions, which is super convenient. The lid is airtight and made of foil, just like baby formula.
The lid also had a plastic plug, and it seals tightly, like a latch, which helps keep the mixture fresh.
So, I bought the 4-lap mix, and they offered me a feeding set as well. They recommended the most convenient set, which costs 800 rubles.
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GENERAL INFORMATION:
Manufacturer: Beaphar
Country of origin: Netherlands
Weight: 250 grams
Price: At the time of purchase, 3,200 rubles for 250 grams
Place of purchase: The 4-lap pet store chain
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USAGE:
I've been using the EasyCharge for a while now, and I have to say, the shipping experience was top-notch. The packaging was sturdy, and the product arrived in perfect condition. I was a bit skeptical about the build quality at first, but after using it for a few days, I was impressed with how solid the device feels. The buttons are responsive, and the ease of use is exactly what I needed. I've been using it for a week now, and I'm still getting used to the customer support system. They have a comprehensive FAQ section, and their return policy is pretty lenient. I'm still on my first battery, but I'm expecting it to last a while longer.
First off, this stuff has an incredibly strong and persistent vanilla ice cream smell, it's super sweet, the mixture itself isn't uniform, it's got particles, like a medium grind, not flour, not baby food, but something weird-looking, yellowish color.
If you follow the instructions, the consumption rate is pretty high, which explains the steep price tag - one can of this stuff wouldn't even last a week for a single kitten, let alone two. I was willing to try anything to save the kitten's life. In the end, I managed to feed the kitten a few times before taking it to the emergency vet.
I was mixing it according to the instructions, using kitchen scales to measure everything down to the milliliter, sterilizing everything, treating it like I was feeding a baby, every 2 hours, which was my experience with the first kitten. Unfortunately, it didn't make it. As for the second kitten, it developed an intolerance and severe diarrhea, the mixture just wasn't being absorbed at all, which is what came out of it. So, in the end, the mixture was a waste of money, and I'd already forgotten about it by the time I posted an ad on our community chat - no one responded. I ended up opening the can and feeding it to a 3-month-old kitten, which is now an adult. I wouldn't
I was waiting, but the cat literally pounced on it and gobbled it up with gusto, and later, when I was just mixing it, she was crying at my feet.
It's pretty funny, because in the process, the cat joins in, and I read that this mix can be given to kittens as well as adult cats as a supplemental food source.
At first, I followed the instructions, but now I just eyeball it and make it up roughly. You can even add less of it and more water to save some, and the cats won't mind at all.
It's become a treat for us now. Once I finish the can, I won't be buying it again.
The mix doesn't fully dissolve, neither in warm water nor hot water, and I'm a bit concerned about feeding a newborn kitten with this stuff... Some questionable situation…. The lumps just float on top.
At first, I smell one cat, then the second one comes running after. This is the mom and daughter.
And here’s my little miracle.
The little one has taken a liking to our cat, and they’re inseparable. She even comes to sleep with her.
And look at her now! She’s four and a half months old, and I took these photos yesterday. She was born on September 21st, just a day after my youngest daughter.
MY VERDICT:
I'm not going to recommend this product to anyone based on my own experience, and I’ve also read other reviews that have similar issues. Some owners even reported that their pets died after using this mix. I think it’s just a coincidence, but it’s definitely worth considering. I was lucky to get my kitten to the hospital on time, or it might have ended badly. The little guy was in a critical state, and a day of diarrhea can be deadly for a kitten that small. I weighed him after every feeding, and he was only 300 grams. Of course, feeding a grown cat this mix is safer than trying to replace breast milk and raise the kitten yourself, but we ended up in the ICU with severe diarrhea after using this mix. We had to give him IV fluids and medicine for three days to save him. I was shocked.
✅The packaging is convenient, but that’s where it ends.
❌The price is way too high.
❌The mixture has a weird chemical smell.
❌It doesn't dissolve properly and forms clumps.
❌It caused severe diarrhea in my kitten, who’s not even allergic.
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I do not recommend this product. It has several major issues, including a high price, poor dissolution, and a weird chemical smell. I was lucky to get my kitten to the hospital on time, but I had to deal with severe diarrhea and a critical state. I'm shocked that this product is still on the market.
My experience with this product has been a disaster. I will not recommend it to anyone.